National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association (“NSSGA”) respectfully submits its comments in the above-captioned proceeding in accordance with the Surface Transportation Board (“STB” or “Board”) Notice of Public Hearing (“Notice”) served on December 28, 2021.
NSSGA applauds Congress and the Biden Administration for diligently working to draft and advance IIJA, which provides almost $1 trillion to rebuild our infrastructure. We are proud to have been a partner in the work to complete this historic bill, as it will directly improve the lives of all Americans. The aggregates industry now stands ready to deliver the billions of tons of construction materials needed to build the roads, bridges, tunnels, rail, transit, ports, energy, water, broadband and every public works funded through IIJA.
The 110 undersigned organizations, which represent a wide range of employers from private industry, states, municipalities, universities, colleges, k-12 schools and non-profits, write to request the U.S. Department of Labor (“DOL”) hold stakeholder meetings prior to the development and issuance of its anticipated Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (“NPRM”) on the “exemption of bona fide executive, administrative, and professional employees from the Fair Labor Standards Act’s minimum wage and overtime requirements” (also known as the “white-collar” exemptions).
Our coalition of public and private sector stakeholders in the transportation industry first write to extend our appreciation for the robust transportation infrastructure funding included in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). The Appropriations Committees in the House and Senate played a critical role in the development and passage of this historic legislation that will benefit the entire country.
The undersigned business trade groups call on Congress and the Administration to end efforts to pass the multi-trillion-dollar tax increase included in the Build Back Better (BBB) bill and focus instead on the challenges confronting American families and businesses today – rising prices, labor shortages, and ongoing supply chain constraints. Today’s Consumer Price Index report showing inflation rising at the fastest rate in forty years has our members understandably alarmed.
The Coalition for Workplace Safety (“CWS”) respectfully requests an extension to the comment period on the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (“OSHA”) Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (“ANPRM”), Heat Injury and Illness Prevention in Outdoor and Indoor Work Settings, which was published in the Federal Register on October 27, 2021. CWS and many of its member associations intend to comment on the ANPRM. OSHA’s current comment period, however, poses challenges for stakeholders seeking to provide thoughtful, accurate responses to the numerous questions posed in the ANPRM.
On behalf of the over 400-members of the National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association (NSSGA), I am writing to express our opposition to H.R. 5805, the “Buffalo Tract Protection Act,” as it would permanently ban future aggregate production in areas of central New Mexico, severely limiting critical resources needed in the construction of infrastructure and public works projects for this growing region. H.R. 5805 would set bad policy by permanently banning aggregate production on tracts of federal land in central New Mexico.
We, the undersigned associations, represent both public and private sector organizations that produce and use the materials, products, and equipment necessary to build America’s infrastructure and employ millions of hard-working Americans in well-paying jobs.
Our organizations represent a diverse set of economic sectors that form the backbone of the American economy—agriculture, energy, construction, forestry, manufacturing, transportation, and other sectors. Through the passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the United States has made the most significant investment in infrastructure since the New Deal. The Act will promote projects that will enable the movement of people, goods, information, and energy to support the American economy. To ensure that the Act succeeds, further efforts are needed.
On behalf of the National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association (NSSGA), I write to request an extension to the extremely short comment period for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s COVID-19 Vaccination and Testing Emergency Temporary Standard. The agency has only provided the public with 30 days to submit input. This is an extensive rulemaking, and stakeholders need more time to provide the agency with comprehensive comments. Additional time will allow the employer community to find issues or points of concern as they attempt to implement the ETS.